GREATER Manchester's sole survivor of First World War combat was remembering lost comrades today on the 90th anniversary of the outbreak of hostilities.

Percy Wilson, who will turn 105 on August 14, was just a 14-year-old starting work on the railways when war was declared in 1914. But by 1918, he was a battle-hardened veteran after five months fighting on the Somme.

The sprightly pensioner and the other 22 surviving Great War veterans were invited to today's anniversary ceremony at the Cenotaph in London. But like many surviving comrades, Percy did not feel up to making the trip.

Just four veterans will be at the emotional service. But Percy, from Wigan, is hoping to see as much coverage as possible on TV.

Although his hair is thinning, his blue eyes weaker than they were and he walks with a stick, the memories have not dimmed.

He remembers hearing about the start of war as a boy, but by the time he was 18, the war was still on and he decided to sign up.

"The government was urging people to join up and telling us it would all be over by Christmas. So I headed to Carlisle and became part of the Border Regiment. I was young and daft and I was glad to be in the forces as 7703 Private Wilson," he said.

After training, the young Lewis gunner sailed to Boulogne with thousands of other young soldiers and was sent to the front. Many never returned.

Percy said: "I had been transferred to the Manchester Regiment and I ended up taking the place of another gunner who had taken a bullet. We would take a trench and sleep and the artillery would start firing from 3am to 6am. Our officers would tell us to stand to attention, then we were told `over you go' from 8am to 9am.

"People ask what went through my mind, but it was no good thinking, you just had to do it. You could hear bullets whistling past and it was a terrible sight, with bodies lying around and people dropping dead in front of you."

Percy served until the war ended in 1918, and he was demobbed in 1919 - and after "a day or two" leave he returned to work on the railways.

He retired as a railway driver in 1964 - and five years ago, the French government awarded him the Legion d'Honneur.